Medical & Nursing Careers

Healthcare jobs such as Registered Nurses, LPN's, LVN's and related Medical Technicians provide over 15 million jobs, and ten of the 20 fastest growing occupations are healthcare-related. Most healthcare workers have jobs that require less than 4 years of college education, such as health technologists and technicians, medical records, billing and coding, health information technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, radiologic technologists and technicians, and dental hygienists. As people age they have more medical problems, and hospitals will require more staff. Wages vary by the employer and area of the county. Aside from their salary, most medical jobs include excellent benefits, as well as retirement plans.

Nursing Programs

As the public ages, nursing care has become a major source of employment for new technical program graduates. It is common for 90% or more of the class to find nursing jobs within 6 months. You don't have to become a registered nurse to make good money, as a licensed practical nurse with several years of work experience can earn well over $40,000 a year. The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) designation is the
first step in becoming a nurse. After Becoming a CNA, you will assist in caring for patients by monitoring vital statistics,
bathing, feeding and maintaining personal hygiene. Most CNA programs can be completed within a few months, allowing you to
begin working. As the public ages, nursing care has become a major source of employment for new technical program
graduates.

The next step in a nursing career is to become a Licensed
Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). Practice requirements for LPNs vary from state to state, but basic duties include passing meds, wound care, and administering feeding tubes. 1-year nursing certificate programs train students to pass the licensing test, in order to become an LPN or LVN. It is common for 90% or more of the class to find nursing jobs within 6 months. You don't have to become a registered nurse to make good money, as a licensed practical
nurse with several years of work experience can earn well over $40,000 a year. To become an Registered Nurse(RN), you will be required to take courses in medical terminology, patient care and life sciences.

Business Job Listings

Although most jobs which pay six-figure salaries require a college degree, technical fields offer high salaries based more on ability than which school you graduated from. Students will impress future bosses more with an impressive portfolio than with an advanced degree, so practice your skills as a consultant for local companies. Candidates with prior industry experience are preferred by interviewers, so you resume must show a clear pattern of success over time, based on numeric results and personal achievements.

Legal & Law Enforcement Jobs

Criminal justice careers can range from law enforcement to working in a legal setting such as a courtroom or law
office. Always in demand, police jobs are listed by city or federal agency. Many departments will offer to sponsor well-qualified candidates to gain training through their local police academy. The median national salary for officers is $62,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there are approximately 112,200 detectives and criminal investigators employed in the United States, with a median annual income around $78,000. However, salary depends greatly on location and which agency you work for, as well as the number of years of service.

Paralegals assist attorneys by reducing their case load, and may investigate the facts of
cases, interview clients and witnesses, and perform legal research. A paralegal may draft pleadings, deposition
notices, subpoenas, motions, briefs, and other legal documents. Further, job duties may include filing documents
with federal and state courts, and assisting at hearings, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and court
trials. Paralegals with a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, or a community college degree combined with
a paralegal certificate, generally have the best career prospects.

Paralegals must develop an understanding of legal terminology, rules of legal procedure, and substantive law. They must have excellent organizational skills in order to manage voluminous case files and exhibits. Strong research and writing skills are also necessary in drafting pleadings, discovery, and legal research. The average paralegal salary is $50,496 per year, although experienced paralegals with special skills may earn in excess of $110,000 annually.

Engineering Certification & Jobs

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, also referred to as the Engineer in Training (EIT) exam, is the first of two examinations that engineers must pass in order to be licensed as a Professional Engineer. The exam is open to anyone with a degree in engineering, or who is currently enrolled in the last year of an ABET-accredited engineering degree program. The exam is eight hours long, split into four-hour sessions. The morning session is a 120-question test, while the afternoon session consists of 60 in-depth questions. Results are mailed approximately 2 months after the test date, depending on each state's engineering licensure board. After completing an 4-year apprenticeship, an Engineer in Training (EIT) qualifies to take the Professional Engineer (PE) exam, for certification and licensure.

Programming, IT, and Website Development Jobs

Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications to function properly. They turn the program designs (psuedo-code) created by business managers and engineers into code that a computer can execute. Software developers start out with a bachelor’s degree in computer science or software engineering, although a degree in math is also acceptable. Computer science degree programs tend to cover a broad range of topics, including computer programming, data structures, artificial intelligence (AI), Ruby on Rails, computer graphics, visual object-oriented programming, and algorithm design. Moreover, most programmers specialize in multiple programming languages, such as php, ASP, C++, Python, JAVA, and SWIFT.

The median annual wage for computer programmers was $90,530 in May 2015. Employment of software developers is projected to grow 17 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than average. Software developers also need skills related to the industry in which they work. Developers working in a bank, for example, should have knowledge of finance so that they can understand a bank's computing needs. In fact, many students gain experience in software development by completing an internship at a software company while in college.

Graphic Design Jobs

The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits
about 300 colleges. Technical training programs in graphic design provide students with the opportunity to build a
professional portfolio of their work in computer-aided design, graphics, or commercial art. A good portfolio often is the deciding factor in getting a job. Students interested in graphic design programs should take basic
courses in studio art, computerized design, commercial graphics, or website design. Graphic designers
create visual concepts, by hand or using computer software. The annual wage of graphic designers is roughly $43,500. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,200, and the top 10 percent earned more than $76,910.

If you've served in the military, The Veteran's Job Bank is a resource for veterans, and active-duty personnel, including Reserve Forces, and The National Guard. Additional resources for veterans, including benefits and training, can be found on the Job Center resources page. A searchable list of job vacancies, grouped by occupation and location, is available via this free job search tool by Monster.com. The job listing results offer you starting salary data as well. Although most jobs which pay six-figure salaries require a college degree, technical fields offer starting salaries based more on ability. The US Department of Labor reports that web page designers draw a median salary of $52,400 a year, while freelance designers earn $67,000 yearly. You can locate your state's job
bank to get assistance in many areas, like writing a resume, preparing for an interview, or
researching company data to prepare for an interview.

Writing a Resume

You can emulate the sample resumes provided on the Monster.com website. By looking at the professional resume layout, you can avoid many of the mistakes new graduates make in over-preparing their resume. While experience is thin starting out, your resume can emphasize academic and community achievements, and serve to formally introduce yourself as a job candidate.

On our pages, you can find career training and listings of business jobs, updated hourly. This website is not affiliated with any educational institution, and all trademarks are exclusive property of the respective owners. College Inspector is the work of a group of Thai students in Bangkok, using info from the US Department of Education, Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). If any stats are incorrect, please contact us with the right data.